Saba Languages

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Saba

Languages

Description

The official languages on Saba are:

• English - the principal language spoken and the sole medium of instruction in schools.
• Dutch - spoken by 32% of the population.

Saban English, a form of Virgin Islands Creole English, is a local vernacular. It is a decreolized variety.

Word List(s)

• Dutch Genealogical Word List
• Useful Dutch phrases - Omniglot
• Family words in Dutch - Omniglot
• 1000 most common words in Dutch - LearnDutch

Alphabet and Pronunciation

Alphabet

• Dutch alphabet - Omniglot

Pronunciation

• Dutch pronunciation - Omniglot
• Dutch pronunciation dictionary - Forvo

Language Aids and Dictionaries

Dictionaries

• Johnson, Theodore R. A lee chip : a dictionary & study of Saban English. Raleigh: NC State University, 2016. Available at: WorldCat.
• Quist, Gerdi and Dennis Strik. Essential Dutch dictionary : Dutch-English/English-Dutch dictionary. London: Hodder Education, 2010. Available at: WorldCat.
• Renier, Fernand Gabriel. Dutch dictionary : Dutch-English English-Dutch. London: Routledge, 1997. Available at: WorldCat.

Online Dictionaries

• Dictionary Dutch - English - Glosbe

Language Aids

• Stern, Henry R. Essential Dutch Grammar. n.p.: Dover Publications, 2012. Available at: WorldCat.
• Quist, Gerdi and Dennis Strik. Beginner's Dutch grammar. London: Hodder Headline, 2002. Available at: WorldCat.

References

Despite the island's Dutch affiliation, English is the principal language spoken on the island and has been used in its school system since 1986.